The review that I wrote for the iPhone program "Chess Tactics Trainer"

> I bought this for the large number of problems.
>
> Gripes...
>
> 1. Pieces are too small on squares. Shadows don't help. I know
> that there are problems with the graphics because I miss obvious
> captures. tChess and Shredder have much better graphics.
>
> 2. Annoying delay between problems. What is it doing?
>
> 3. I have seen a number of repeat problems. I don't know if that is
> deliberate because Shredder will repeat problems that you miss, which
> is actually a good thing.
>
> 4. Many of the problems are obscure. I find myself completely
> missing the point on at least a third of the problems and I am an 1980
> rated player. (The program rates me at 1860.) Some of the
> continuations are too lengthy to be practical, and the analysis
> feature revealed one problem where the solver gets mated.
>
> When it comes to problem solving positions from real games, there are
> two approaches: One is to have really difficult problems that might
> take several minutes to solve so as to practice analysis, which is
> what you get from this program. I much prefer to have less difficult
> problems *and* have the ability to move very quickly from one problem
> to the next, which builds pattern recognition.
>
> I think that the program needs a way to select level of difficulty.
> i.e. 1, 2, 3 etc.

Queen to Play * * *

Just watched "Queen to play".  The movie is a metaphor about chess representing both social mobility and seduction.   Check out the trailer here:   http://www.zeitgeistfilms.com/queentoplay/ 

One pleasant surprise is how accurate the chess games are in the movie.  Some of the chess moves are brilliant but only on screen for a couple of seconds.  You have to have a sharp chess eye to follow the chess games.  

 However, some of the actors move the chess pieces like they are afraid of them.  Real chess players move with confidence.

Kevin Kline is an English actor, but in this movie he speaks nothing but French.